County employment and wages, fourth quarter 2013

June 23, 2014

From December 2012 to December 2013, employment increased in 292 of the 334 largest U.S. counties. Among the largest counties, Weld, Colorado, had the largest percentage increase in employment (6.0 percent), followed by Lee, Florida (5.5 percent), Sonoma, California (5.2 percent), and Douglas, Colorado (5.2 percent). Over the same period, employment in the United States increased by 1.8 percent.

Employment declined in 39 of the large counties from December 2012 to December 2013, with St. Clair, Illinois, registering the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (–3.1 percent).

Average weekly wages for the nation as a whole were unchanged during the year ending in December 2013. Among the 334 largest counties, 185 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. Santa Cruz, California, had the largest percentage increase (6.5 percent), followed by Ada, Idaho (6.4 percent), Washington, Oregon (5.9 percent), and Union, New Jersey (5.2 percent).

Of the 334 largest counties, 140 experienced over-the-year decreases in average weekly wages. Douglas, Colorado, had the largest percentage decrease in average weekly wages (–29.7 percent), followed by San Mateo, California (–15.8 percent).

These data are from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Fourth Quarter 2013" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-14-1138. These data are derived from summaries of employment of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance. Data for 2013 are preliminary and subject to revision.